Georgia holds off Auburn with late defensive stand

Nov 16, 2008 - 12:08 AM
AUBURN, Alabama (Ticker) -- It took a late red-zone stand from a
struggling defense, but 12th-ranked Georgia managed to maintain
its recent dominance over Auburn.

The Bulldogs thwarted a potential game-winning drive, forcing
incompletions on the final two plays to escape with a 17-13
victory, their third consecutive triumph over the SEC rival
Tigers.

Matthew Stafford threw a pair of touchdown passes - including a
go-ahead strike to AJ Green in the fourth quarter - to lead
Georgia to its second victory in a row.

"Neither team played good enough to win. We both had enough
mistakes to lose," Georgia head coach Mark Richt said. "It
wasn't the prettiest game played by any means, it just comes
down to sticking together and persevering."

The lead changed hands twice in the fourth quarter and nearly
shifted again in the final minute, but a late drive orchestrated
by Auburn sophomore quarterback Kodi Burns fell just short.

"It was tough," Burns said. "We fought, we just didn't come out
with the win. We really fought hard and I am proud of the whole
offense. We didn't make enough plays."

Despite facing a disappointing Auburn squad that is in danger of
having its eight-year bowl streak come to an end, the Bulldogs
had trouble putting the Tigers away all afternoon. Georgia
entered the contest allowing the second-most points in the SEC
and had given up at least 38 points three weeks in a row.

Burns certainly seemed to have no trouble down the stretch,
converting a pair of critical third downs on the final drive
with runs of 14 and 17 yards. But he finally hit a wall in the
red zone.

"It was awesome for the defense," Richt said. "We put them on
the spot to finish the game and get the stops down at the very
end."

The Tigers (5-6, 2-5 SEC West) had marched 66 yards in 12 plays,
but faced a fourth-and-1 with seven seconds remaining. On that
final play, the pocket quickly collapsed around Burns, whose
desperation heave to the back corner of the end zone sailed long
as the Bulldogs (9-2, 6-2 East) survived to remain unbeaten on
the road this season.

"We were saying in the huddle, 'We're good, we're good.' We
weren't going to give up," linebacker Dannell Ellerbe said. "We
were going to fight and find a way to win."

The tight finish capped a back-and-forth final quarter. Auburn
took a lead on Mario Fannin's 35-yard touchdown rush early in
the fourth, but the Bulldogs answered quickly - taking advantage
of prime field position as they started the ensuing drive in
Auburn territory thanks to a pair of penalties.

Seven plays later, Stafford delivered a 17-yard strike over the
middle to a leaping Green, who pulled it in for what proved to
be the game-winning score.

"It was a play we have been working on, we have run it a couple
of times during the season," Stafford said. "Earlier in the
season, we ran the exact same play and he was wide open in the
end zone but the ball was dropped. I'm glad (Green) got a
chance to run it again. He made a great catch. I didn't make
such a great throw, but he did a good job of going up and
getting it."

While the Tigers fell short on their last possession, their
options were limited thanks to an early mistake by kicker Wes
Byrum. Burns helped give Auburn the lead with a 52-yard
touchdown pass to Fannin, but Byrum missed the extra point.

"The kicking game hasn't been with us all year long," Auburn
coach Tommy Tuberville said. "We haven't been able to take our
opportunities when they are there. That has been a big
difference in three or four ballgames. Hopefully, it will turn
around for us in the next game."

That single point may have proved pivotal - had Byrum connected,
the Tigers could have attempted a game-tying field goal at the
end of the game instead of being forced to go for the end zone.